Rolleiflex Automat Model 3
' Rolleiflex Automat Model 3' is a medium format TLR film camera manufactured by Franke & Heidecke, Braunschweig, Germany, and produced between 1945-1949. Model 3 is also known as type K4B2.as to Int.Rollei Club All Rolleiflex Automat series was produced between 1937-1956. Engravings beneath the Rolleiflex logo: D.R.P. and serial no.; D.R.P. means Deutsches Reichs Patent stating that this design or part of it was patented sometime between 1890-1945. Automat name stands to introduced automatic film counter in 1937; this counter senses the thickness of the film backing to accurately begin counting frames, obviating the need for the ruby window that forced the photographer to read the frame number off the back of the film itself. Rolleiflex Automat won the Grand Prix award at the Paris World's Fair in 1937. Rolleiflex TLR film cameras were most famous and the standard of news and studio photographers for decads. Many photographers still shoot with Rolleiflex TLR film cameras and black-and-white film. Specifications *Serials: 1.050.000 - 1.099.999 *Format : film 120 roll (B2), picture size 6x6cm The camera could be used with Rolleikin I to use 35mm film or with the special glass plate film adapter *Franke & Heidecke Braunschweig engravings under taking lens *Taking lens : Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar Rolleiflex Automat's more common lens was Carl Zeiss Tessar 75mm f/3.5; Automat was also offered with Zeiss Oberkochen Opton 75mm f/3.5 also 75mm f/3,5 filter: Bayonet I; *Aperture: f/3.5 - f/16 setting: via a thumb wheel between the lenses, scale in the small indicator window, on top of the lens plate *Finder lens: Heidoscop Anastigmat f/2,8 75mm *Focus range: 0.85-20m +inf *Focusing: matte glass screen, via a big knob on the left side of the camera, w/ distance and DOF scales *Viewfinder: waist level finder, w/ magnifying loop and sports eye level magnifier. For using the latter, there is a reflector in the hood and opesn by asmall knob on the left side of the finder opens by a latch on the back *Shutter: Compur-Rapid, speeds: 1-1/500 & B; Setting: via a thumb wheel between the lenses, scale in the small indicator window, on top of the lens plate *Cocking lever: also winds the film, on the right side, with auto double exposure prevention, you must return the lever to its resting position after the cocking for making the next cocking *Shutter release: on the left lower front corner of the camera, w/ a locking cap *Cable release socket: on the right lower front corner of the camera *Frame counter: auto reset, above the winding lever, not works without the film in the camera *Self-timer: on the left upper corner of the camera *Back cover: hinged, also removable with bottom plate by latches on the sides, w/ exposure guide table, opens by a latch on the bottom of the camera *Film loading: insert the take-up spool into the upper side by pulling-out the knob right upper side of the camera, then insert the film into the lower side, move the film leader under the chrome cylinder and pull and insert to the take-up spool; close the cover and turn the cocking lever untill number 1 seen in the frame counter window *Tripod socket: 3/8''; Strap lugs *Body: metal; Weight: 928g *Engravings beneath the Rolleiflex logo: D.R.P. and serial no.1079399 *The camera could be used with Rolleikin I to use 35mm film or with the special glass plate film adapter. Notes and references Links *Automat in International Rollei Club *in Rollei.org *Rolleiflex TLR Price & Model Identification Guide by Dan Colucci *Manual in Orphan Cameras by M.Butkus *in Wikipedia in French: * Rollei Rolleiflex Automat III on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand Category:TLR Category:6x6 Category:120 film Category:R Category:Rollei Category:Medium format